Die grondseil en slaapsak is droog.

to be

Breakdown of Die grondseil en slaapsak is droog.

• en: and
• droog: dry
• die slaapsak: sleeping bag

Questions & Answers about Die grondseil en slaapsak is droog.

Why does Afrikaans use is here even though there are two things, grondseil and slaapsak?

Because Afrikaans uses is for the present tense of to be with both singular and plural subjects.

So:

• Die slaapsak is droog. = The sleeping bag is dry.
• Die grondseil en slaapsak is droog. = The groundsheet and sleeping bag are dry.

Unlike English, Afrikaans does not switch between is and are in the present tense.

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Why is there only one die? Shouldn’t it be die grondseil en die slaapsak?

Both are possible.

• Die grondseil en slaapsak is droog.
• Die grondseil en die slaapsak is droog.

With one die, the two nouns are grouped together a bit more naturally, especially when they belong together in context. English does this too sometimes: the groundsheet and sleeping bag.

Using die before both nouns is also correct and can sound slightly more explicit.

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What kind of word is droog here?